White Night

by J J Marsh

  Theo walked past. He kept his head facing front but looked sideways behind his sunglasses. The girl hitched up her skirt and dragged off her cardigan, exposing her tattooed limbs to the sun. She too was wearing sunglasses. She swayed from side to side in time with her music as she unwrapped her sandwich.

  The only way to approach in such circumstances was from the front. Anything else would appear creepy. Theo made a wide circle, took off his shades and walked directly up to her. His shadow fell across her face. She looked up with a frown and waved him out of her light. He moved to the left and crouched down to sit opposite her. She pulled out her earbuds and stared at him, her shoulders lifted in enquiry and her jaw thrust out in a challenge.

  He addressed her in Swedish. “Hello, Tuula. Sorry to disturb you on your lunch break. My name is Theo and I’m looking for a friend of yours.”

  She pressed a button on her phone and used her middle finger to pull her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose. Her eyes, dark with heavy make-up, gave him a blatant once over.

  “What friend?” she asked.

  “Two people, actually. Samu and Valpuri. Her parents tell me you are Valpuri’s best friend. In my experience, friends tell each other more than they might tell their parents, which is why I wanted to talk to you. Not just that, but you were there on Saturday morning. You, Samu, Valpuri, Aleksis, Risto and Ursula, all right at the heart of things. If anyone saw what happened to your two friends, I’d say you were in pole position.”

  The girl didn’t move, glaring at him from under her brows. “Who are you?”

  “Oh, yeah. ID. Sorry, I’m new to this private detective business and sometimes forget my manners.” Theo leaned to one side to pull his wallet from his back pocket. “Theo Wolfe, part of the Beatrice Stubbs private investigation agency. We’ve been hired as a parallel track to the police operation.”

  She leaned forward to read his business card.

  He offered it to her. “Keep it if you want. My number’s at the bottom. So yeah, Tuula, I’m sure you’ve already answered a ton of questions from the police and you’re having a break from work. But I’d like to ask you a couple of things, if you’re willing to talk. Don’t let me keep you from your sandwich.”

  Unsmiling, she took his card and placed it on top of her phone. Then she returned her attention to her lunch, watching him as she ate.

  He lifted his face up to the sun and inhaled. Then he looked over his right shoulder, rotating to gaze above her head and over to his left, taking in all the office workers, tourists, joggers and dog walkers enjoying the fleeting but intense summer. “I can think of worse places to have my lunch,” he smiled.

  “Why? Where do you have yours?” Her light, musical voice seemed at odds with the tattoos, DMs and dramatic make-up.

  “It depends on the job. Last weekend, I had a cheese and onion pasty while standing in a graveyard, wearing a dress and holding a red umbrella. It wasn’t even raining.”

  “Weird job,” she observed, finishing her sandwich and wiping her fingers on her skirt.

  Theo relaxed backwards, resting his weight on his palms. “You know what? It’s the weirdest job I’ve ever done in my life. Guess that’s why I love it. What’s your weirdest job?”

  “I’ve only ever had this one. It can get pretty weird. Most days it’s regular, guiding tourists around the museum and answering dumb questions. Once in a while, I get to do the nightshift and go hunting for deadly spiders.”

  “Spiders? Live ones?” He sat up, genuinely intrigued.

  She nodded with all the sagacity of a Tibetan monk and adopted a tour guide tone. “No one knows exactly how, but sometime in the 1960s, the basement of the museum got infested with Loxosceles laeta, or Chilean recluse spiders. They’re incredibly resilient and have one of the most poisonous venoms of the whole genus. Left to themselves, they breed and spread and grow to scary proportions. Look.”

  She picked up her phone, scrolled through some images and showed him a video of a large, eight-legged beast scuttling across the tiled floor and down a ventilation shaft.

  He shuddered. “Ugh. Can’t stand creepy crawlies. Especially that size.”

  She gave him a scathing look. “I thought you said you were a private detective.”

  “Private detective, yes. Indiana Jones, no. Most of the creepy crawlies we track down tend to have two legs.”

  For the first time, she cracked a smile. “Arachnophobe. Come on then, I’ve got fifteen minutes before I have to get back to work. You had some questions?”

  Of all the places to start, Theo had drawn the golden ticket by talking to Tuula. Not only did she give him all he needed to know about the on-the-ground view of Saturday’s march, the organisation and hierarchy of Gaia Warriors and the current whereabouts of her colleagues, but she made a phone call. Just to ensure they would be there and knew to expect him. Their conversation made her late for work, even though they talked as they walked. He apologised and she waved it away.

  “Don’t worry about it. They’ll turn a blind eye. After all, I’m the best they’ve got. Hope to see you around, Theo.” With that, she swiped her pass against the security lock and disappeared inside the museum.

  On the way to the Kallio district, Theo became aware of a hollow feeling and decided it was time for lunch. He bought himself a crab sandwich and ate it en route, replaying the recording of his conversation with Tuula on his phone.

  “I don’t care what anyone tells you, the security guards started it. They threw the first punches, I swear. There were a couple of guys, not Gaia Warriors, who jumped right in. They seemed to enjoy the violence, the confrontation, especially that big blond. I had never seen them before and it looked like they were only there for the fighting. Anyway, I could see Valpuri trying to calm things down. But fists were flying, people started throwing placards and the situation was out of control. The police waded in and I saw Valpuri dragging Samu away to the left, out of the crowds. Samu hates any kind of violence, it really upsets him. I caught hold of Aleksis and tried to follow them but the crowds surged away from the police. Aleksis tripped and fell backwards. He hurt his hands. In fact, he broke his wrist. We didn’t know that then, obviously, he just said it hurt. When we got to the area where I’d seen Valpuri and Samu, they’d gone. That was the last time I saw them.”

  Theo heard his own voice, closer to the microphone. “What about the other two? Ursula and Risto. The six of you were leading the march. What happened to them?”

  “I don’t know, it was chaos. I remember Ursula screaming abuse when those thugs in uniform refused to accept the petition, but I don’t recall seeing her or Risto after that. No one expected it to turn nasty. We just weren’t prepared for that level of ugliness.”

  Thoughtful, Theo switched off the voice memo and considered the girl’s words. He finished his sandwich and dropped the paper into a recycling bin. The Kallio district teemed with life, bars on every corner, cafés and restaurants spilling out onto the pavements, and funky shops selling some interesting gear. It was the kind of area he would have loved to explore, pottering and browsing the less touristy side of Helsinki. But not now. He had an appointment.

  He checked the map on his mobile and saw the street he was looking for, Vaasankatu, was directly ahead. If Tuula was right, Aleksis and Risto would be waiting for him outside Bar Liberté. He wasn’t worried about recognising them. They would recognise him. He wasn’t the only black face on the street, but there were few enough to make him stand out. Sure enough, as he sauntered towards the bar, he saw two faces staring in his direction. One older, with a mono-brow and neatly trimmed beard; the other skinny and nervous, with a cast on one arm.

  Theo slowed, looked up at the name of the bar and then down at the patrons smoking outside. He lifted his sunglasses and fixed his eyes on the staring pair with a half-smile. He exaggerated his laid-back gait, arms hanging by his sides, projecting relaxation and confidence. Once at the table, he looked at the cast covering the kid’s hand and forearm.


  “Is it painful?” he asked in English, pushing his voice to the lower end of his range.

  The kid let out a nervous laugh. “No, not really. A bit, at night. Umm, are you …”

  “Yeah, I am. Thanks for meeting me, Aleksis.” Instead of offering a handshake, Theo held up a palm. The kid met it with his own, in a gentle representation of a high five. Next, Theo dealt with the one more likely to be trouble.

  He pointed at Risto’s chest, bearing an image of the Ramones. “Cool T-shirt. Hi, Risto. I’m Theo.” He offered his hand. After a pause, Risto shook it without a smile. “So I just walked all the way from the museum and I need a beer. Can I get one for you guys?” Without waiting for an answer, he tried his well-honed ‘get served first’ trick. He stood stock still, gathering all his presence, then focused his eyes on the harassed server collecting glasses. It worked. It always did. The man made a beeline for Theo as if summoned by a whistle.

  “Hi there. Could we get three beers here, when you’re ready?” Theo sank onto the bench beside Aleksis, who shuffled up to give him more room. “I like this area. It’s different. It has its own vibe.”

  Risto stubbed out a cigarette in the steel ashtray. “It used to have. These days it’s all hipsters and vegan restaurants. At least the drunks, addicts and sex workers were authentic.”

  It took a great deal of strength for Theo not to roll his eyes. A world-weary nineteen-year-old, cynical about urban regeneration, harking back to the good old days. Thankfully, the beer arrived, relieving Theo from the obligation of an answer.

  As they drank, Theo met each pair of eyes and made a private assessment. It was obvious Risto called the tune. There would be no chance of gaining trust from Aleksis under the shadow of that mono brow. All he could hope to achieve was to give the impression of being on their side, unthreatening, understanding and open to confidences. Not that he expected to receive any in the next fifteen minutes.

  “You know who I am and why I am here. My boss and I are trying to find Valpuri Peura and Samu Pekkanen. I’m starting from the point where they were last seen, the march on Saturday. I heard Tuula’s side of the story and now I’m asking you to tell me anything you can which will help me find your friends.” He set his phone on the table. “I don’t do shorthand so this is the next best thing. How close were you two when the violence began?”

  Risto lit a cigarette, inhaled and blew smoke from the side of his mouth, his dark eyes on Aleksis. “Tuula can be quite naïve. I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t know who you are, who you work for and who hired you. As far as I know, you could be an employee of LokiEn or even the security services who attacked us on Saturday, trying to implicate us in the death of the journalist. It might sound like paranoia to you, but as leader of the Gaia Warriors, I’ve had to grow up fast.”

  Theo took a long draught of beer to stop himself from snorting in derision. “Fair enough. Here’s my business card. I work for Beatrice Stubbs, a private investigator and ex-DCI of the London Metropolitan Police. I can’t tell you who hired us, that information is confidential. Our objective is to find the two young people who disappeared on Saturday and return them to their families. You’re quite right to say you don’t have to trust me or to talk to me. Unlike the police, I have no authority to insist on answers. I’m dependent on your goodwill. And the fact that we both want the same thing. Samu and Valpuri home, safe and sound.”

  The bench beneath Theo began to vibrate slightly as if an underground train were rumbling deep below the pavement. But the motion was caused by no subterranean transport system. Aleksis was jiggling his legs up and down as if he needed the toilet.

  Risto continued. “That much is true. We care very much about Samu and Valpuri. We need them to help us in our struggle. The Gaia Warriors are fighting a powerful, insidious enemy and this particular battle is one of the most strategic in the entire war. They have might on their side, might and money. On our side, we have right and conviction. We will never stop fighting for our future.”

  Theo looked sideways at Aleksis and jerked his head in the direction of Risto. “I bet this guy is a whole lot of fun at parties.”

  The kid blushed and went very still.

  Theo returned his attention to Risto. “OK, listen to me. I can get all the theory and the soap box slogans from your website. That is not why I’m here. Whether I’m sympathetic to your cause is immaterial. What I want to know is where you were and what you saw on Saturday morning as far as concerns Valpuri and Samu. Are you willing to help or not?”

  A burst of song came from inside the bar, puncturing the tension. Risto flicked his lighter, once, twice, three times, affecting a distant, moody stare. Theo drew on his well of patience. He’d been through the pretentious phase himself, a misunderstood poetic soul in a prosaic system devoid of beauty. At least the young adult sitting opposite him used that sense of uniqueness and teenage angst to effect some good in the world. All Theo’s emotional upheavals had involved falling in love with the wrong person.

  With that thought in mind, he tried a different tack. He dropped his voice, leaned forward and included Aleksis in his conspiratorial huddle. “This may be way out of left field,” he said. “But I spoke to Valpuri’s parents earlier this morning. They said something which made me think. Parents have more insight than we give them credit for and yet, young people are often more truthful with their friends than their relatives. To your knowledge, was there anything more than friendship between Valpuri and Samu? Is there any possibility this disappearance is something spontaneous and romantic?”

  With a snort worthy of a carthorse, Risto shook his head. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Valpuri doesn’t do romance! All her passion is devoted to the Gaia Warriors. The last thing she would do at a crucial time like this is run away for selfish reasons. Samu is different, too soft for his own good. Even so, he understands we all must be selfless when it comes to standing up for our future. No, to answer your question, no. Valpuri and Samu did not take the opportunity for a hot weekend after a journalist was killed for trying to tell the truth about what’s happening. They know we must all make sacrifices as warriors on behalf of our planet.”

  Before Risto could take another breath in order to spout more slogans, Theo turned to Aleksis. “What do you think?”

  The teenager cradled his left wrist with his right. “They wouldn’t do that. They put the cause first. We all do.”

  “What I don’t understand is why you’re talking to us,” barked Risto. “In whose interests is it to have two of the Gaia Warriors disappear before next Saturday’s opening ceremony? Hmmm, let me think. If you remove the leaders from the most vocal and well-organised environmental activist group in Finland, the protests at your opening ceremony will be nothing more than a handful of well-meaning, shambolic tree huggers. Yes, I know what you people think of us. Why aren’t you talking to LokiEn? Why aren’t you talking to Karoliina Nurmi and her financial backers? These are the kinds of people who profit from a situation like this, not us.” He drained his beer and evidently fired up by his own speech, raised his arm to summon the waiter. Unfortunately, the waiter ignored him and swept past into the bar.

  Theo pretended not to notice. “Sorry to disappoint you, but you’re not first on our list. We spoke to Karoliina Nurmi yesterday and this afternoon we will be meeting the other two CEOs. Motives for abducting Valpuri and Samu are one of our lines of investigation. Another is the starting point from when they disappeared. So to go back to my question, where were you when the violence broke out between security guards and protesters? Please be as specific as you can.” He looked up and caught the waiter’s eye. With a nod, he ordered another round.

  It took a total of three beers to get the full story from Risto and Aleksis. Even then, Theo sensed that no matter how loose their tongues grew, the story was well practised and would never veer from its grooves. Something Risto said was bugging Theo. A clear mind and full concentration was necessary so he got on a tr
am to head back to the hotel. If he was going to interview the newspaper editor over a drink this evening, he needed to sober up.

  In the shower, he found himself giving full voice to a soppy Elton John number, surprised he could remember the lyrics. He set his alarm and lay on the bed, hoping his mind would switch off for an hour. Before he closed his eyes, he sent Beatrice a message, choosing not to call her in case she was driving.

  Met three out of four Gaia warriors this afternoon. Possibility some marchers were plants, deliberately hired to cause trouble. Having nap to prepare for meeting sleazy TV producer. Probably will need another shower afterwards. See you at seven.

  Chapter 13

  Three days. So it must be Tuesday. Whoever kidnapped them after the march had winched them down into this hole on Saturday night. She and Samu had seen dawn rise on Sunday, on Monday and once again today. The cave did not admit much light, only that reflecting off the sea as it washed in and out of the cave mouth. The opening high above their heads allowed in a small pool of sunshine.

  The captors came back every night, but always at different times. They never entered the cave, simply lowering down provisions via a steel cable. On Monday night, Valpuri had been awake when the torches flickered down through the aperture. Enraged by the lack of opportunity to engage in any kind of dialogue with these people, she scrambled to her feet. In the darkness, she felt her way along the wall of the cave until she stood in the shadow below the aperture. She watched the cold box being winched metre by metre towards the sandy floor. When the box touched the ground, the cable released, ready to be winched back to the surface.